Turkish MP says US vote may harm Armenia process

A Turkish lawmaker said that the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee's debating a resolution on Armenian allegations related to the incidents of 1915 could harm normalization process between Turkey and Armenia.

The Turkish lawmakers, led by Murat Mercan, chairman of the Turkish parliament's foreign relations committee, gave a conference at Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C.

Turkish-American relations are at top level and the two countries have been jointly working on several regional and strategic issues, Mercan said.

Turkish foreign policy aimed at contributing to solution of regional issues, peace and stability, he said.

Mercan said Turkey signed two protocols with Armenia. "Turkey-Armenia rapprochement is of great importance for the region," he said.

Not politicians, but historians, experts and intellectuals should study the 1915 incidents, he said.

Mercan said Turkey and Armenia signed protocols and agreed that history commission should deal with the allegations on 1915 incidents. "I don't understand why the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee decided to debate the resolution," he said. This would really harm the process (between Turkey and Armenia), he added.

Sukru Elekdag from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) said if the resolution was approved by the committee, it would really damage relations between Turkey and the United States.


/World Bulletin/